


Better Than This

by gayliensav



Series: How It Started [1]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, M/M, Origin Story, Yondu can be nice, to the people who deserve it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-06-27
Packaged: 2018-11-19 14:25:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11315265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gayliensav/pseuds/gayliensav
Summary: Kraglin didn't mind all the work he got on the ravager ship. Cleaning up after a bunch of messy ravagers was better than where he was before them. He suffered through his job everyday, because he finally had a place to stay with a group of people who weren't that bad.Okay, they were a little bad.Besides Yondu Udonta, that is.





	Better Than This

Kraglin Obfonteri smiled when he saw the crew renter the ship. Between climbing through the air ducts to clean and mopping up after a bunch of ravagers, seeing the crew making it back from a successful job was the highlight of his day. 

“Keep up the good work, Obfonteri,” Stakar called as he walked passed him with the rest of his crew. The captain was nicer than the rest of the crew, but Kraglin was pretty sure they were so nasty because he was the newest. 

Case in point: the ravager kicking over his mop bucket as they walked through, making a couple of the others laugh as he did. 

Kraglin sighed, looking down at the dirty water that was spilled all over the floor. He cleared his throat and held his head high as he grabbed the bucket and went to get a clean towel. Before he could, a blue hand shoved a towel against his chest. 

“Here, let me help ya,” the owner grumbled, grabbing one of his own. 

Kraglin smiled slightly, “Ya don't gotta do that, Yondu.”

Yondu Udonta had already been on the ship when Stakar picked him up on Hrax. Kraglin didn't know much about the other man, he just knew the signs of a slave because he'd been one himself. Yondu didn't have the same tattoo markings he did, so Kraglin was sure he had to have been a Kree slave. Their systems were different.

He couldn't be sure though. It wasn't something you just _asked_. 

Besides, Stakar said those things didn't matter now. All that mattered as they were ravagers. 

Yondu was nice though. He was mean to everyone else besides Stakar and Stakar’s close ones, but he was _always_ nice to Kraglin. 

“You're above this,” Kraglin said quietly as the Centaurian helped him clean up the muddy water, “You're well on your way ta becomin’ the captain’s first mate one day. Ya don't have ta help me with this.”

“Guy’s an asshole. Ya did good on these floors...don't deserve ta do ‘em all over again,” Yondu muttered. 

Kraglin smiled slightly and didn't say anything else. 

“Wanna share dinner with me on the top deck?” Yondu asked. 

Kraglin felt his cheeks heat up slightly and he nodded, “Yeah...sounds good. See ya then,” he said as Yondu got up. He watched after him for a moment before quickly grabbing up the soaked towels and heading towards the wash.

"Cheeks are gettin' bluer than me, Krags!" Yondu called back at him.

* * *

Kraglin slowly walked up to the top deck, his tray of food in his hands. They'd only done this once, around a month before. It had been after a particularly good mission, they brought in a huge haul of units. Yondu had been given a bottle of wine courtesy of Stakar. Instead of sharing with the crew, he took Kraglin up to the top deck.

Kraglin wasn't sure how long they were up there, just lying on their backs and watching the Galaxy pass by. The wine made him feel warm and turned his cheeks blue, making Yondu laugh and say he was gonna turn into him if he kept up drinking. Kraglin felt so relaxed that night, even more than he usually did with Yondu.

Yondu didn't ask for anything of him, not that he was surprised by it. He wasn't the type of person to ask him for anything, especially knowing his past. 

Stakar had also called him off limits to the crew regarding...those things. He was young, for a ravager. Just shy of nineteen. He was sure Yondu wasn't much older than him, but he wasn't exactly sure how Centaurians  aged. 

Why did his thoughts always go back to Yondu?

Oh right, he was going to see Yondu. 

“Hi,” Kraglin greeted him, walking over to sit down on the blanket they had there. He wondered if it was Yondu’s, since it had been there last time. A couple more blankets and clothes, it would be a makeshift Hraxian nest. 

Kraglin tried not to think about that. 

“Hey,” the other ravager greeted around a mouthful of food. 

Kraglin crossed his legs as he ate his food. He looked at the window above them at the stars. He swallowed a large mouthful of whatever slop the chef had prepared for them, not really caring what it was. He was just grateful to have food. 

Yondu finished his food and pushed his plate off to the side of them, flopping back on the blanket. Once Kraglin finished, he followed his lead. 

“Was the job okay?” Kraglin asked, breaking the silence. 

“Mhm,” Yondu hummed, “Why?”

“I figured you'd be eatin’ with the cap’n and ‘is crew. They like ya bein’ there,” Kraglin said softly, “Not slummin’ ‘round with no weird hybrid- OW!” he yelled, batting the man’s hand away when he pinched his shoulder. He glared at him and rubbed the spot, despite it not actually hurting very much, “Why’d ya do that?!”

“Quit talkin’ like that,” Yondu said, sitting up, “Ya ain't... _ weird _ or nothin’. Jus’ different. Normal’s borin’ anyways.”

Kraglin smiled slightly, looking away. 

“An’ I like hangin’ out with ya. Wish I could do it more...wish ya came on jobs with us,” Yondu grumbled, “Ya ain't no housemaid. I know your people...what ya can do.”

“Cap’n says I ain't ready. Still new,” Kraglin shrugged. 

“Mhm,” Yondu said, eyeing the mark barely hidden by his jacket that was on his shoulder. He knew the meanings. It wasn't anything like the Kree slaves. They didn't really have a  _ system _ , you just paid money. Hrax, now they were an  _ organized  _ business. They had marks for every... _ type.  _

The first mark on his neck was for him being a hybrid. Yondu still wasn't sure what his other part was, besides Hraxian. It had to be strong genetics though because Kraglin didn't look nothing like the ones he'd encountered in the past. Hraxians were giant, built like warriors with black eyes. Kraglin was tall, sure, but he didn't look anything else like that. His eyes were real...nice. Colorful, if ya got close enough. His best guess was Xandarian, because his cheeks turned blue instead of red. When Kraglin got a bloody nose a couple weeks ago, it had been blue (and yeah, Yondu took pleasure in giving the ravager who gave Kraglin a bloody nose one of his own...and a broken one, on top of that).

The second mark was that he was owned at the time. He saw scarring under it and knew that the removal when that status changed couldn't be pleasant. 

Not that anything about Kraglin’s life has been pleasant. 

The third was a battle tattoo. Yondu knew Kraglin had been put in rings to fight other slaves, just judging by the scars he had. It was entertainment, for the higher ups. 

Yondu knew what the last mark was, but he didn't acknowledge it. Partly because Stakar told the entire crew  _ not to _ and mostly because Yondu had a little respect for people who deserved it. 

Kraglin deserved respect after being used and owned all his life. Yondu knew that was all he ever wanted. Just a little respect, being his own person, maybe something that he actually got to own. 

Stakar had given him all of that and he'd done the same for Kraglin. 

“Hey,” Yondu said, changing the subject, wanna see somethin’ I got on the job?”

“Sure,” Kraglin smiled at him, happy at the change of subject. 

Yondu opened his coat and took out the arrow, holding it between his fingers. 

“Becomin’ an archer?” Kraglin raised an eyebrow. 

“S’a yaka arrow,” Yondu explained, “I'm gonna learn how ta control it. Ya do it by whistlin’.”

“That's so cool,” Kraglin grinned, looking down at it, “Will ya show me when ya learn?”

“‘Course I will,” Yondu said, putting it away, “You'll be the first ta see it.”

Kraglin smiled at him and then Yondu did something he didn't expect. 

He kissed him. 

It was quick, just a chaste one to his lips, before pulling away. 

Kraglin felt his cheeks heat up and he grinned widely, “Thank you.”

Yondu snorted, “Don't thank me.”

Kraglin awkwardly grabbed his hand, “This right?”

“Think so,” Yondu shrugged, “See Stakar doin’ it with ‘is wife.”

“Does holdin’ hands make ya married?” Kraglin asked, his eyes wide. 

“Don't think so,” Yondu shrugged, lying down beside him. 

He didn't pull his hand away. 

Kraglin sat there for a moment before lying down beside him. 

* * *

Kraglin never got to see Yondu getting his arrow for the first time. He was sure he never would, either. He was sure he'd never get a soft kiss like the one he got last night.

A day later, Stakar announced that it was time for Yondu Udonta to move on. He was being entrusted with his own ravager ship, to start his own team. 

Kraglin felt like he wanted to cry...and he probably did, a little. No one noticed too much, Stakar had thrown a huge party to celebrate. He was cleaning up most of the night or getting people drinks. He didn't get the chance to even speak to Yondu…

Kraglin hurried into the bathroom, scrubbing his hands quickly after the party. He wiped his eyes quickly afterwards, trying to stop the tears as he stared at his reflection in the dirty mirror. 

He hadn't cried in a long time, not since he was with his parents. The last time he saw his parents, he was  _ four.  _ He just **stopped** crying after that. 

Kraglin attributed this to Yondu being one of the few people to make him feel something besides pain in a long time.

And now he wouldn't get to see him anymore.

* * *

Kraglin stood with the other ravagers the next day. Yondu was getting a big send off and a speech.

“Off ta recruit me a new team,” Yondu told, “Not that I won't miss your ugly asses hangin’ around all the time.”

Stakar laughed loudly, gripping the man’s shoulder, “We’ll miss you too, Udonta.”

“Already got me a first mate picked out too,” Yondu said to the crowd. He nodded down to Kraglin, “Obfonteri, let's go.”

Everyone went silent and Kraglin’s eyes widened. 

“Already talked it over with your captain, c’mon now,” Yondu said. 

Kraglin looked at Stakar, confusion on his face. The captain simply nodded, smiling.

Kraglin walked up to the front, squeezing through the tight crowd. He smiled at Yondu and turned to the others, not saying a word to him. 

“Guess we know how ta get promoted now. Just gotta sleep with the cap’n!” one of the ravagers joked before letting out a loud belly laugh. 

Kraglin’s eyes widened again and he looked away. 

Yondu whistled and the yaka arrow whizzed through the air, ending right between the man’s eyes. 

“That's my first mate you're talkin’ about,” Yondu snorted, “Bitterness don't look good on ya. Apologize now.”

The man laughed again, “Captain, ya can't actually-”

“I say apologize,” Stakar shrugged. 

The man grit his teeth, “Sorry, Obfonteri.”

Yondu whistled and the arrow went back to it’s place on his belt, “Well, let's go, then.”

* * *

“Shouldn't I-” Kraglin started.

“Already packed your stuff,” Yondu said simply, “Flark, man, why don't ya got more? It all fit in a bag.”

Kraglin shrugged, standing awkwardly by the door of the large ship. It was weirdly clean. Stakar must have gotten it _new_. 

“Well, ya comin’ in or what?” Yondu laughed. 

“Why did ya do this?” Kraglin whispered, looking down at his feet, “Yondu, there are people entirely more _capable_ -”

“Don't matter,” Yondu said, walking up to him, “Told ya, ya don't deserve ta be cleanin’ floors when I know you're better than it.”

“So, it was pity?” Kraglin snorted. 

Yondu grabbed him by the front of his jacket and pulled him over, pressing his lips against his. It lasted longer this time, but it was still just as soft. 

Kraglin let himself go a little bit this time, his hand holding the side of Yondu’s jacket as he kissed back. 

Yondu finally pulled away, “Weren't pity,” he said simply before pulling away all together, “Now...we got a team ta build. We're gonna be the most feared crew in the Galaxy.”

Kraglin laughed quietly and followed him. 

“Yes, cap’n.”

**Author's Note:**

> As always, the idea of Hraxian!Kraglin can be traced back (to my knowledge) to write-like-an-american on tumblr.


End file.
